In pursuit of the Ohio indoor all-time triple jump state record, Elijah Harris joined us to discuss the electric series of performances he's put up to date over the '24 campaign, how football training pays dividends to his track and field preparation and the lofty goals he's designed for himself across a variety of events.
The Westerville Central Warhawks underclassman has been on fire this season, winning all seven of his jumping competitions (four triple jump meet titles and three high jump meet titles) and he's on the verge of eclipsing Del'Mario Hairston's all-time Ohio indoor mark of 47-6.5, which was established in 2019 at the OATCCC Division I State Championships.
Hairston, formerly of Mentor-Lake Catholic and now with Kent State University, set the bar high and remains one of Ohio's all-time greatest high school jumpers, but Harris is intent on re-writing the record book.
At 47-4.25 from Ohio State earlier this month, the sophomore (who resides just 2-1/4" behind Hairston's standard) is eyeing an even 48-feet by season's end.
Watch our feature interview with Harris above and review the top 10 all-time Ohio indoor triple jump marks below.
* As we navigate through discussion of all-time record accuracy, a special thanks is extended to Ohio high school track and field historian Mr. Kurt Francis, who contributed to the statistical research and preparation that is noted in this piece.
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Time Stamps
- 0:00 - Episode Introduction
- 1:10 - Highlighting his offseason training
- 2:00 - The benefits of football for track and field conditioning
- 3:20 - The compete factor in football pays dividends with his jumping
- 4:25 - An overview of the season to this point
- 5:25 - Goals specifically for HJ and TJ events this season
- 6:30 - Confidence gained from top performances last year as a freshman
- 7:50 - Dealing with the stress of rain delays at the outdoor state meet
- 9:10 - How the game in Ohio is evolving this season with performances across all disciplines
- 8:55 - His upcoming schedule and goals for the rest of the season
- 10:40 - Debriefing on his attempts at 6-8 in the HJ at Otterbein
- 12:05 - Going after the triple jump indoor state record and what it would mean to accomplish it
- 13:25 - Talking potential opportunities in the triple jump during the outdoor season
- 14:20 - What events he'll prioritize during the outdoor season
- 15:15 - Comments on the history of excellence at Westerville Central
- 16:05 - Credit to his teammates and coaches who have helped him along the way
- 16:40 - Episode Conclusion
Ohio All-Time Top 10 - Indoor Triple Jump
| RANK | MARK | ATHLETE/TEAM | GRADE | MEET DATEPLACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 47-6.5 | Lake Cath. | 2019 | |
| 2 | 47-4.25 | Wester. Central | 2026 | |
| 2 | 47-4.25 | Olen. Orange | 2020 | |
| 4 | 47-4 | University School | 2023 | |
| 5 | 46-7.5 | Hil. Darby | 2022 | Kent St. HS Meet #11st F |
| 6 | 46-5 | Dunbar | 2011 | |
| 7 | 46-2.75 | Wayne | 2014 | |
| 8 | 46-2.25 | Wayne | 2026 | |
| 9 | 46-2 | Shaker Hts. | 2009 | |
| 10 | 46-0.5 | Euclid | 2019 | Jerome Fields Open1st F |